Conveyer



May 19, 1953 y PfKNEER Filed Feb. 27, 1948 frzz/rzvr: Pau Z K1?, eef

,QQ mm May 19, 1953 p KNEER 2,639,024

- CONVEYER Filed Feb. 27, i948 2 sheets-sheet;

faz/m5071- Paal/(73667 Patented May 19, 1953 Y `UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE I. I .2,639,024 I coNvEYEn Paul Kneer, Monica, Ill. v

\ i Applicationy February 27, 1948, Serial No. 11,372 A v l as bales of hay, and it is, therefore, described in the following specification as a hay baleconveyor although it is not intended that the invention is limited to such applications.y

this invention may be readily adapted to'accommodate other rectangular objects such as pack- ,j ing boxes or even modified toconvey other substances such as corn, grain, etc; Iby substituting suitable belting for the conveying chains.

. The problem of transferringhay'into a storage f barn is twofold. Firstthe hay must be Iifted from the wagon or other vehicle to the mow level of the barn, and then it must be transferred horizontally kto the final storage position Vin the barn.l The problem has been partially solved by baling the hay prior to rvstorage forhease in handling, but heretofore no fully satisfactory conveyingapparatus has been provided for moving thebales.

The current ycommon practice lis tov lift each bale; using a block and tackle supported from an extension ofthe barn ridge pole to the top of the barn, and then to move the baleinwardlyby means of an overhead monorail conveyor t'o the final storage position. However, this method is not satisfactory in that each bale must be handled individually and only a single bale at a time vmay be in transit from the'wagon to the loft.

one object of this invention is to provide' a conveyor which will continuously handle aplurality of bales at the same time .andjd1str1bute them at any one of a plurality of :stationsvs'electively and thus increase the number of bales which may be stowed in a given time.

- Another object is to on the ground to selected parts. of the mow. I v Another object is to provide ay conveyor Whlch may b e readily adjusted todeliverbales, to difl ferent parts of the-barn. Y

- Another object is to provide la conveyOrWhCh The conveyor of provide a'co'nveyor which will automatically transport bales'from a point 5 Claims. (Cl. 198-89) paratus comprising an elevator, a'horizontal conveyor, a distributing element which can be located at any selected position and an inclined conveyor for lifting the articles from the horizontal conveyor to the distributing element all powered by a single Jprime -fmcver locatedon the ground or at any shaft outside orinside themow, power'being transmitted through the. conveyin chains to all other shafts.

Other and additional objects and advantages of this invention will of course Ipresent themselves tovthose familiar with the art on reading .the i01- lowing specication in conjunction with Vthe drawings. andthe appended claims. I In the drawings: Fig. 1 is -a cutaway perspective viewrof .a barn equipped with the conveyor of thisinvention; Fig. 2l is an enlarged section showing lthe'distributor and inclined conveyor assembly;

Fig. `3 is an enlarged section showingV the. in clned conveyor in-another position;.`

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section showingthe inclinedconveyor as it ispulled'backwardly.; r

Fig. 5is an end viewof the distributorv table; and f. l ,v

Fig. 6 is an end viewiof the-table tilted in the opposite direction. f s The preferred' embodiment of fthe .conveyor I 0 Aof this invention` is showninstalled in a barn AI I in Fig. v1. lThe barn II is :of-.conventional construction having an overhead loft orhaymow I2 A-andanacceSs` opening I3 to the mowat. one end.

Baled hay I4 is shown stackedin the mow I2.`

r- For purposes of 'description the` conveyor, y although an ntegra1unit, .will be described asthree subassemblies. Thetvertical elevator A, the hori- Vzontal conveyor B, and the distributor assembly C.

The elevator assembly f This assembly A comprises ya 'pair'fofidentical endless chains'20, a plurality of `platforr'ns 2| atone position'to the next by .the power 'supplied to .the conveyor.

lAiuiftlier obielct ips tfbrovidea @vrins ,apf

tached to the chains, andthe various supporting and driving elements for the chainsZ. The' lower end of' the elevator assembly vA issecured to a pair of angle iron posts 22 extendingV into the ground and preferably received in concrete foundations (not shown) Thesepostsv support a drive shaft `23 which carries two drive sprockets?! for the chains 20.""Ihe'f `e`nd ofthe shaft 23"which "projects beyond'the posts 2,2."'1is'vprovided Hwith drive pulley 25 driven by a belt 2s'. '-frnis teit may extend to. the power take-ofts'l'iaftforra' tractor (not shovvn) ,`a gasoline engine, or any other Isuitable prime. mover; f Motor 'or'jother power drives @une Sim-Harlingen Shar# ws. 32.. orwhe shaft (not shown) located at the far end of the mow which carries the other end of the chains 40.

From the fposts 22 a pair of chain supporting rails 21, preferably formed of angle bars, extend upwardly the length of the assembly A. The upper ends of the rails 21 are attached to a pair of horizontal bearing support bars which carry bearing blocks 3l supporting the shaft 32 for the weer The chai-frs n ,extend upwardlyafongtheails 21 overlthe sprbclts $3 and downwardly on the back side to the lower sprockets 24. v .t

Thus when power is supplied through the velt 21, turning the shaft 23 and sprockets 24, the

. .downwardly ,on marsala Side .tw/gain.. bafeiated jat trie 'dttn spkt's "24 pero@ rung up again.

v'The "fhfzi'l c'teyr The horizontal cnvyorassembly B v comprises nother 'pair fof endless chains `Ml whichy extend horizontally "from ia Vgpaifr Lof Asprockets, 4 l' loca-ted ial'i'tlie toppfgth'e 'elevator A Ato ajsecond -pair (not shown) at the farjendof.fthefbarn Il and return. AThedrive'sprockets'1H'iaredriyenay the l, elevator :mechanism 7A by jrnea'ns ci ,la third sprocket #amounted Qn the shaft" lm ,tvhienfsupfportsthesprockets l M Ashoritfendlessgchain 43 couples thisfsprocket, 4-2 -to -'another sprocket 4I carriedby the shaft 32. p y Ihechains iof v the :horizontal conveyor assemblyfaredsupported by a. pair .Uf hOljZQntal failsl Iwhich'aresuspendedyfrom nthe rioof of the barn l-lffoy vertical :haa-H1541 secured -to the rafters i768. These ertialfbeamsjl in turn-support horizontal 'crossbeatns 51) which carry the y rails""45 l 1., .Y Y

The topi-face 'dfffach rail #5 isprovidedgwith tafishallowchaiinelmember A5| in which :rides the top portion of each of the chains 40. fhanriels-Sl Iperfpinjthedualfunction of eproviding a suppor-t for the chain-#Wand also serve ias-supportsalong whichth'exlistributor +assembly Cmay move. ".Flx'eclxa'11m-51s f5 l rareoi "such *depth '.fth'at thehhain*4projectsfbeyondthein intprdjer .'that "bales rllllwill Hbe.'support-ed#on 'the chain v"Since the `horizontal conveyor `B r is i;

These 63 and 64 are provided with internal shoulders which ride on the sides of the channels 5I and hold the shoes away from the chains 4U while the rollers 62 are disposed beneath the chains 40 and, therefore, may rest directly on the channels.

A pair of longitudinal bars 65 extend from the axle 66 of the rollers 62 to the shoes 63 and together with a :pair of uprights 61 form a framejwork'jfor Ithe Iinclined #conveyor portion of the assembly-fc. on the @naief each df the uprights E1 a bearing bracket 68 is provided which i'supports a shaft 10 carrying a pair of sprockets 1l, E'ach inclined conveyor chain 60 passes around one of these sprockets and the corresponding one of a pair of sprockets 12 at the opposite end. lThe sprockets 12 are supported on *a 5s`liff-'t which *also carries another pair of s p'rvo ';l ;ets 14 (Fig. l), all sprockets being rigidly attached to the shaft so that rotation of one independently of the dthers 4is impossible.

Lib. 96.8. K.. '1s *which en@ fthe -fsnaft *es -so that Athe 1 uwer D secihently, ufa ydocking v`l=igs.2, v3 .and 4 is provided'to control the move- -ment of this element. along the rails 45'.

A latch 90 is attached to a pin 9|, the pin .be-

about the pin 9I. The pin 9| isv preferably secured to one of ythe side bars .65 :but if desired it may 'be supported on a central member-(not shown) paralleling the side bars 65.

A tension spring 93 connects one end of the latch to a projection `94 onthe bar 65 so as to urge the-"latch'bar 90 to the position shown in Fig.4 2.` When in this `position the notched portion of the latch 90 extends downwardly to catch on In Vorder to unlatch the assembly C and permit movement farther into the barn, a rope 95 is provided. This rope passes over a sheave wheel 96 and extends through a block 91 (Fig. 1) to a point on '-th'e ground at the base of the elevator A. This rope 95 serves the dual purpose of unlatching the lat'ch bar 90 and providing a means for pulling the assembly back towards the elevator A. When the rope 95 is pulled a small distance, the latch bar assumes the position shown in Fig. 3, being merely rotated with respect to ithe -bar 65, and lifting the notched portion of the latch 90 free of the cross member 50 and permits movement of the assembly C with the chains 40. Ordinarily the frictional drag exerted by the chains 40| in passing over the sprockets 14 and the guide plate portions of the members 'l5 is sufficient to move vthe assembly C along the rails 45, but in order to insure positive action an offset projection 98 on the back side of the latch 90 is provided. This projection 98 is oiset so as to be on the opposite side of the bar 65 from the latch 90 passing through a cutaway portion |00 in the bar 65 so as to engage the chains 40. When the rope 95 is pulled a short distance and the latch 90 is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the projection 9B is moved downwardly to engage a link of the chain 40. Thus when the latch 90 is in the position shown the assembly C is positively linked to the moving chain and the assembly will move along with the chain 40. When it is desired to stop thisI motion the tension on the rope 95 is relaxed and the spring 93 returns the latch 90 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the notched portion catching on the next in line crossbar 50 arresting movement of the assembly C.

To move the assembly C toward the elevator A it is only necessary to pull on the rope 95 with greater force. When this is done the latch 99 moves into the position shown in Fig. 4. The greater Itension overcomes the force of the spring 93 and causes the latch 90 to move longitudinally with respect to the pin 9 l This lifts the proj ection 98 free of the chain 49 and permits the assembly C to be drawn towards the elevator, the tension force on the rope 95 being transferred to the assembly through the pin 9|.

Since the rope 95 extends from the open door I3 to the ground it is an easy matter to position the assembly C from either the ground level o1' from the mow oor, the single rope 95 being the only control means and the assembly C being movable in one direction by a light pull on the rope 95 and in the other by a heavy pull.

When the assembly reaches the far end of the barn, one lof the teeth of the sprocket wheel (not shown) for the chain 40 on engaging the link of the chain in which the projection is received forces theprojection out of engagement with the chain so that it is `impossible to nrovethe assembly .C under power beyond a certainpoint and damage either the conveyor ory barn structure.

Another advantage of the conveyor of` this invention arises out of the factthat it is impossible to inadvertently cause a bale to be dropped onto the distributor table from the inclined conveyor while the assembly C is in motion. Thus a bale cannot be inadvertently dropped on the operator -or `become caught on a crossbar 50. This is due to the fact that motion of the inclined conveyor chains 60 ceases when the assembly is moved with the chain 40.

The preferred method of using the conveyor of this invention to. fill a barn with baled hay has been foundto be as follows-: The assembly C is rst pulled to a position adjacent the elevator A and the tension on the rope 95 is relaxed, causingthe latch to lock on the Iirst crossbar 50. The prime mover is thenl coupled to the conveyor and started. -Bales are placed on the elevators and hoisted to the mow.l When suflicient bales have been deposited on one side, the table 6I is inclined in the opposite direction `until this side is iilled. The rope is then pulled slightly and the assembly C is moved to the next crossbar 59 and again both sides are lled, reversing the table as before. This procedure is followed, moving from crossbar 50 and reversing the table until the barn I I is lled, a minimum of manual eiort being expended either to transport the bales I4 Ior move the assembly C.

In some instances it has been found desirable to eliminate the latch bar arrangement for vlocking the assembly C and merely secure the rope 95 t0 the assembly C. When this is done a cleat arrangement is usually provided so that the free end of the rope may be tied to position the table at a desired point.

This modication as wel las other changes and modications of the apparatus of this invention, such as will present themselves to those familiar with the art, may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention, whose scope is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described a horizontal raill a stationary element attached to said rail, an endless moving chain supported on the top of said rail, a conveyor assembly having a frame movably mounted on said rail, a pivoted latch member carried by said frame, means on said latch for engaging said stationary element in one rotative position to prevent movement of said assembly, and a projection on said latch for engaging said moving chain in a second rotative position of the latch to lock said assembly to said chain and move it with respect to said rail.

2. In a device of the class described, an endless moving chain, a conveyor assembly mounted for movement along the path of said chain, a plurality of stationary elements spaced along said path, a pivoted latch member associated with said conveyor assembly, means on said latch member for engaging any one of the plurality of stationary elements in one position of the member to prevent movement of the assembly along said path, and a second means upon said latch member for engaging a link of said moving chain when said latch member is moved to a second position to move said assembly along the path of said chain.

3. In combination an endless moving chain traveling along a path, a movable element mount- 'ed se as vlto reelymovablealong saidpath, a latch member pivot'ally srspported .on vsaid .element at a point proximateto :said a plurality :of stationary elements disposed in Aspaced relationship along said'path, means on said latch lmember for engaging saidstationary elements to prevent movement of :the movable element in the direction said ohainis moving when the member is in one rotative position, land projection means on said member for engaging` a linkol saidfchain to transmit motionoi the vcharm to the movable element when the member is' in .the second rotative position;

4. In combination a movable eleine'rrn.V nfeely movable along fa predetermined pai/h, an endless moving chain traveling kalongfa path `loaallel and in close proximity tothe first mentioned path, a plurality vof stationary velements disposed at spaced points `along .thev path, apivoted member supported on Fsaid movable lelernerlit lin v'close proximity `to said movable chain', means on said meinber for engaging said stationarf,`r elementsto check motion of said movable element along the zpath, and a second means on said vmember for :engaging a link of said chain to vniove said ni'ovable element.

V5. The combination oalied for in claim 2 ln which said latch member is movable to a vthird position'to clear said stationary elements and chain links, and including a'xnanualli,7 controlled means secured to .said latch member to move said latch into said third positiony and draw the foonveyoi assembly in a direction along saidpa'th opposite to the direction of movement of the chain.

PAUL KNEER.

References cited in theme .of this .patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Y Date .230,144 Merfy J111y`20, 1880 585,221 McCabe et a1. .Tune 29, v1007 k040,365 scott May a, 1900 745,031 Ack-1in ...-1- NY. 24, 1903 758,875 Ticknor etal May 3, 1904 v1,090,032 Mccieuon May 119 v1914 1,249,305 Black i Dec. 11 179.17 1,515,655 Stinson Mar. I9, .1926 2,063,431 Grayson et al Deo. 8, .1936 

